Welcome back from the Thanksgiving holiday!
In today’s post of this regular Monday feature, I’m going to continue to focus on the evolving debate surrounding immigration reform. I’d encourage you to read the America’s Voice perspective on Detention Watch Network’s powerful new report on the 10 worst American detention centers, and a pair of insightful articles by Immigration Impact – one on the need to provide young people who have received deferred action with access to healthcare, and the other on the financial benefits immigrant students bring to America.
- The American system that detains hundreds of thousands of immigrants each year is a scandal. In response to the influential “Expose and Close” report by the Detention Watch Network, Pili Tobar of America’s Voice writes about the growing support for reform and DWN’s call to close America’s 10 worst detention centers.
- In her post “Include DACA Recipients in Health Care Reform,” Jenny Rejeske of Immigration Impact argues that the Obama Administration’s decision to deny young people who have been granted deferred action access to affordable healthcare is completely unnecessary and debilitating to this vibrant population. This policy needs your advocacy.
- “Another Good Weekend for Immigration Reform Prospects,” by Pilis Tobar, covers the increasing bipartisan support for immigration reform, as prominent Republican governors such as Susana Martinez and Bobby Jindal have lent their backing to such efforts.
- In “Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Let’s Get It Right This Time” on the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Leadership Blog, Deborah J. Notkin writes insightfully of past failings in immigration reform legislation and how important it is to enact smart comprehensive reform this time around.
- Walter Ewing of Immigration Impact writes in his post “Foreign Students Add Billions of Dollars to the U.S Every Year – And That’s Just the Beginning,” of the strong economic boon foreign students are to the United States, citing a new study finding that foreign students contributed $21 billion to the American economy last year. All of us can think of brilliant young people who are not native-born Americans who are our classmates or friends, and we know the difference they make in our lives and the life of local communities. This piece adds even more compelling arguments to the case for immigration reform that strengthens our economy by utilizing their skills.
Thanks for reading, and please send me your ideas for Top Picks!
Image credit: Evan-Amos